15 Online Behaviors That Make You Vulnerable to Scams

It seems like there's a new internet scam or security breach happening every week, but truth be told, many typical online behaviors can make you more vulnerable to scams. To protect your online well-being, make sure to watch out for these red flags when you are online using email or social media so you don’t end up as a fraud victim.

Typically people think older adults are the only ones who fall victim to phishing or identity theft, but young adults are also regular victims of scammers and need to be aware. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken the lead on advising the American people of the scams out there that you should be aware of.

Here are 15 online behaviors and risk factors where scams can often happen. While all of these are not automatically scams, you should be on the lookout to protect your online security:

1. Clicking on fishy pop-up ads while on your computer or mobile device
2. Opening email or text messages from unknown senders
3. Selling products on online auction sites
4. Downloading apps
5. Signing up for free-limited-time-trial offers
6. Purchasing through an online payment transfer site
7. Playing online games or sweepstakes
8. Visiting websites that require reading a terms of service statement
9. Being impulsive
10. Letting feelings of isolation or loneliness allow you to fall for a romance scam that steals money from your online accounts
11. Experiencing a negative change in financial status
12. Losing a job
13. Preying on your worries about debt, such as credit card debt
14. Being unaware that financial institutions don't send emails to customers asking for personal information or to click a link to verify sensitive information
15. Being unaware that a privacy policy doesn't mean the website won't share your information with other companies

How To Protect Yourself

One of the most common ploys in the world of internet scams is when fraudsters sound like they're sending information from an "official" source. When monitoring your risky online behavior, it's important to remember that government officials will never contact you by phone or email to request personal or bank account information or to tell you that you're in trouble with the law, even for something like missing jury duty. This is always online fraud.

For example, a few years back, there was a nationwide email scam that had recipients believing that they were summoned to appear in court. The email would either contain malware-laden attachments or tell the reader to pay money for overdue fines.

Getting scammed online isn't limited to middle-aged people. Young people are vulnerable too, so exercise caution when you're engaging in these online behaviors. If you fall victim to cybercrime, contact local law enforcement or a local attorney immediately.

Related Resources:

• Online Scams (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)
• What You Need To Know About Online Scamming and the Law (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)
• Online Safety Tips To Protect Your Personal Information (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)
• Wire Fraud (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)